Control
by ThePlague23
Summary: After the final battle is finished, Aloy has to figure out what there is for her to do left in the claim. A certain Nora Brave will help her. A tad bit dark.


Aloy sighed to herself as she sat along the cliff edge, her uncrossed leg hanging carelessly over the drop. It had been ten days after she had defeated Hades. And three after she had returned from finding Elisabet's grave. Varl had instantly greeted her at the north gates, asking her of her journey. The only response Aloy could muster, was a sad smile and a shake of her head. Ever since her return, she had sat at the cliff face near her home. The same home that she grew up in. The same home that she was cared in when sick.

 _The same home that Rost was buried outside of_

Aloy gave a light sniffle as she ran her arm across her nose, hoping to stop any tears from forming. Her unchanging eyes stayed gazing across the sacred lands that she grew up in, her mind recalling random events that popped into her mind. The sound of footsteps brought her out of her thoughts, Aloy not turning her head at them. For a brief second, she thought that it was Rost. But, she realised that the footsteps sound too light for it to be him. As they grew closer, Aloy reluctantly turned her head, a small smile breaking out on her face when she saw Varl.

"Aloy." He greeted with a nod, the Brave sitting down next to her, except her crossed his legs and didn't dangle over the edge like Aloy was.

"Hello Varl. What brings you up here?" Aloy asked, Varl turning to her with a smile.

"Nothing. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Varl explained, Aloy nodding in silent thanks. The two were used to this. Both of them just sitting around, admiring the beauty of the land before them.

"So, what now?" Varl asked, breaking the silence. Aloy looked over to him, the girl somewhat confused by his question.

"What do you mean?" Aloy asked, Varl turning to her with a smile.

"What now? What're we going to do? I doubt you plan to just sit up her until something happens." Varl said, Aloy looking back at the landscape. Honestly, she hadn't thought of what she was going to do next. She could always try to turn all the machines into more docile creatures. Or she could always search for more artifacts of the old ones.

"I don't know. I could try to make all the machines less hostile somehow." Aloy said to herself more than Varl, the girl unsure of what to do know that her apparent 'purpose' had been completed. Varl just nodded his head in understanding.

"That would be nice. Not having to constantly worry about the machines anymore." Varl said happily, Aloy humming lightly in agreement.

"Maybe we should make new tribes?" Varl suggested, Aloy turning to look at him in surprise.

"How so?" She asked, Varl simple shrugging at her.

"I don't know. It feels like something to do. I guess it would help people get more settled in with the different areas. Kinda like what you did with all those bandit camps. How people moved into the camps and changed them into places for trade and shelter." Varl said, Aloy nodding in agreement. She had to admit, making new tribes, while hard, did seem like a good course of action.

"Perhaps we could try to unite all the tribes under one banner." Aloy said, Varl nodding his head enthusiastically.

"Yeah. If the Shadow Carja ever attack again, it means that the other tribes would aid." Varl said, Aloy nodding at his thoughts.

"Yeah." Aloy said softly, before huffing quietly and looking at the pass that divided the sacred lands and the rest of the world.

"Aloy… Have you been sleeping?" Varl suddenly asked, Aloy turning to him in surprise.

"Why do you ask?" She asked without fault, Varl looking a bit nervous.

"Well. You have been a bit sluggish lately. And you also have bags under your eyes." Varl said, Aloy nodding her head slowly.

"… I haven't slept well since the proving." Aloy whispered quietly, Varl instantly nodding in understanding. While he couldn't ever compare to the pain that she was feeling, he felt his own pain due to the events. His little sister, his own flesh and blood… Taken, because of selfish acts. Everyone had lost a part of them that day. Be it a sister or a son.

 _Or a father_

"While I can't begin to know what you are feeling, I understand." Varl said slowly, Aloy turning to face him as he spoke.

"And I'm sorry that you do. No one should have to feel this pain with me." Aloy whispered, more to herself than Varl.

"No! You should feel this way either." Varl exclaimed, Aloy shaking her head at his claim.

"But I should. It is my burden to bear. And mine alone." Aloy said grimly, Varl frowning heavily as Aloy avoid his direction.

"But Aloy… You're not alone." Varl said softly, his heavy frown changing to a lighter frown. Hesitantly, Varl shuffled himself closer to his companion, watching carefully for any signs of discomfort coming off the girl's body language. While he surely didn't have as much experience in somethings that Aloy did, there would always be one thing he was better at.

 _Dealing with people_

"Where are you living anyway?" Varl asked, watching as Aloy stiffened up at the question.

"I-" Aloy started slowly, before Varl cut her off.

"And don't lie. I know that you aren't in any of the villages and you certainly aren't sleeping in his cabin." Varl said hardly, Aloy stiffing yet again. She silently thanked Varl in her mind for not naming her father figure, just the name become to much for her to handle hearing.

"… I-In trees." Aloy said softly after a short silence, Varl's eyes widening at her answer.

"Aloy! Why are you resting in trees? You should be on an actual bed, getting enough sleep! Not laying against a branch in the wilds!" Varl scolded, watching as Aloy's body language changed. She went from tensed to loose in a second, her hands curling into fists at her side.

" _Oh fuck._ " Varl thought to himself as he mentally prepared himself for the coming onslaught that was Aloy.

"FUCK YOU VARL! You don't have any fucking control over my life! You can't tell me what I can and can't do! If I want to sleep in a tree, I'm going to. If I want to sit here and thing about jumping off this cliff, I'll do it!" Aloy shouted, Varl staying in a constant wince until Aloy talking about hurting herself. With wide eyes and a mouth open and ready to scold, he spoke up. However, he was cut off by Aloy shouting.

"And if I want to sit here, thinking about how much I wish I was never born, I fucking will Varl!" She cried out, Varl noticing how her eyes were starting to water. After a second of starting at her face dumbly, Aloy finally cover her hands over her face and started crying, the red head girl crying as if she hadn't done so in a long time. Varl just sat there, knowing that he couldn't do anything at this point to stop Aloy's tears. He hesitantly reached his hand out to put it on her back, but his hand was knocked away when she stood up. Before Varl could even say a word, she started leaning forward.

 _"Aloy!_ " Varl shouted as he quickly shot up and grabbed her arm, pulling the tilting girl away from the edge. As he pulled her further from the ledge, Aloy's screams grew in volume, Varl having no choice but to stomach her wails.

"Let go of me!" She cried out, the girl struggling against him as hard as she could. To counter this, he quickly pulled her into his chest, the taller man holding the girl tightly in his arms. She soon grew weaker and weaker, her pulls to get out of his grasp slowly stopping.

"W-Why?" She cried out quietly, Varl feeling his heart ache at the sight of the girl before him, the great and fearless Aloy, broken down to a crying shell.

"Because. No one wants you to do that." Varl said, pressing a kiss against her forehead. With a whimper, she let her head fall against his chest, her eyes closing.


End file.
